Apparatus for arranging articles



Nov. 26, 1929. H. c. STEARNS APPARATUS FOR ARRANGINGARTICLES Filed Feb. 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 26, 1929. H. c. STEARNS APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 27, 1926 171 9 0/ HW/y C. Ska/m by WM Nov. 26, 1929.

H. c. STEARNS APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING. ARTICLES Filed Feb. 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 //1 van 70/ Hany C, Sfeams y m Patented Nov. 26, 1929 emm s'raras i Persia-r oFFicE f HARRY CARPENTER SEEEARNS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASS IGNOR ,TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO vCOIVIPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F .NEV] YORK, Ni Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK I Application filed February 27, 1826.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for arranging articles, and more particularly to methods of and apparatus for arranging parts in predetermined positions for assembly purposes.

Where parts must be arranged in predetermined positions for assembly purposes or the like, it is common shop practice in some in-.

stances for a worker to manually select parts or articles from an indiscriminately arrange-t supply thereof and subsequently, in accord ance with a definite plan or system of operation, place the articles thus selected in properly arranged positions. One example of such practice may be found in the art of manufacturing electromagnetic induction coil spools extensively used inrtelephone systems. The core portions of certain types of these spools comprise a plurality of elongated, metallic laminations of magnetic materialjwhich are snugly fitted within a suitable frame or tube. It has heretofore beenthe practice in some instances for the worker to select an approximate number of laminations from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof" which it is estimated will completely fill and snugly fit into a companion frame or tube. Under such circumstances becomesnecessary for the worker to properly orient or otherwise arrange the laminations thus selected in a definite order or group for facilitating the subsequent assembly thereof with a companion tube. v

Objects of the present invention are to provide improved and simple methods of and apparatus for efiectively and efficiently advancing indiscriminately arranged articles and arranging the advanced articles in proper predetermined positions.

In order to obtain theseand'other objects and in accordance with the general features of the invention an apparatus representing one embodiment of the invention and by means of which the improved method maybe practiced, is provided which has a pair of specially formed screw mechanisms, inclined from the horizontal and rotatably mountedv at their opposite ends. These mechanisms are formed with spiral groovesresembling square thread structures which are-adapted to accommodate APIPARATUS FOR ARRANGING. ARTICLES.

Serial No. 91,280.

core laminations. These core laminations are placed indiscriminately within ahopper so as to super-impose the lower, extremities of the screw mechanisms and upon rotation of the screw mechanisms inopposite directions the lowermost laminations. adjacent to the up per surfaces ofsaid mechanismsplodge them selves within the continuously aligned spiral grooves and are subsequently urged oradvanced away from the continuously agitated mass of laminations. As thelaminations lodged within the grooves are advanced, they are directed between gauge pinswhich prevent the feeding of distorted. or imperfect laminations into a stacking device provided at the upper extremities of the screws. When a composite group of laminations of predetermined magnitude becomes stacked by the upper extremities ofthe screws, the stacking device deposits the group in specially formed spiral grooves formed at the extremities of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionof an arranging apparatus disclosing one embodiment of the invention with a supply of core laminations deposited within the hopper;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the upper end of the apparatusas shown in Fig; 1, with the stacking device thereof shown in section on a line approxi- -mating the inner wall of the hopper to. more clearly expose the latching mechanism 1 of said stacking device;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the lower end of the hopper disclosing the promiscuous arrangement of a supply of laminations deposited therein;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail of the lower portion ofthe stacking device taken on the linen-4 of Fig. 1

Fig. is an end elevational view of the arranging apparatus taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, with the magazine removed therefrom;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the screw mechanism taken perpendicular to the plane of said mechanism with the stacking device broken away to exposestructures otherwise hidden;

"Fig'. 7 is a perspective view'of a form of core member adapted to be arranged by the apparatus; V

Fig. 8 is a view somewhatsimilar to the view shown in Fig. 2 and discloses a modified form of an arranging apparatus embodying the invention, and

Fig. 9 is an end elevational View taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numeralsdesignate similar parts throughout'the various Views, it will be observed that the arranging apparatus includes a base 10 having an upper surface inclined from the horizontal and designed to support a suitable hopper 11.

A pair of angularly related screw mechanisms 12, longitudinally disposed within the hopper 11 and arranged in parallelism with the in clined upper surface of the base 10, are revolubly mounted at their upper and lower exi tremities in suitable bearing members 13 and 2 3614, respectively. The lower extremity of each screw mechanism12, adjacent to the bearing member ,14, is provided with a gear 15, the lower end of. one screw mechanism (left Fig.6) beingformed with an extended 3'5" shaf portion which Proj cts. through t rear wall of the hopper 11 and carries a suitable drive pulley 17 at its outer extremity (Fig. 1). The rotation of the pulley 17, oocasioned by a belt operated by any suitable driving means (not shown), will result in imparting reversed rotation to the screw mechanisms 12-(see arrowsFigs; 5 and9) through the medium ofthe gears 15.

Mounted ad'acentto the-pulley 17 is a formed with a plurality of cam teeth 19.

" These cam teeth 19 are designed for engagement with aroller20 mounted in a bracket 21 secured to the lower or rearsurface ofan agitatingplate 22. hingedly mounted at its upper end and traversing the rear end of the hopper 11. The rotation of the disk 18 swings the agitating plate 22 about its. hinge, theroller 20 engagingwith and being actuated by the cam teeth 19 of the disk 18. This agitating eifect will be more clearly understood as the description progresses. The hopper 11 is adapted to accommodate elongated core members or-laminations 23 which, when deposited therein, rest upon the w front surface of the agitatingplat-e 22 and the upper surface of the lower extremities of the screw mechanisms 12. Spiral ways or I grooves 24 formed in the screw mechanisms 12 are suflicient in width and depth to accommodisk 18 (Fig. 1) with the; inner facethereof" comes lodged within a pair of the aligned I grooves 24. Gauge pins 25 provided on the opposite walls within the hopper 11 are so positioned that when a core member 23 is advanced by the screw mechanisms 12, the upper end surfaces of the core member thus advanced will pass immediately beneath the gauge pins 25, providing that the members are properly positioned and that the ends thereof are not bent upwardly. The core members which are bent or distorted upwardly at their ends strike the gauge pins 25 and are thereby completely dislodged from the grooves 2 1. Similar gauge pins 26 (dotted lines Figs. 1 and 2) positioned immediately below the plane of the upper surface of the screw mechanism function in like man ner to automatically reject core members which are distortedor bent downwardly at their extremities. It is tobe understood that these pins 25 and 26 likewise function to completely dislodge or properly rearrange a core member which is improperly positioned upon the screws as it approaches the pins.-

The upper portions of-the hopper side walls are formed with brackets 27 which supply a hinged mounting at their upper outer ex tremities for-a depending gate member 28 of a stacking device denoted generally by the numeral 29. An opening 30 (Fig. 5) extends upwardly from the lower enlarged portion of the gate member 28 at each end thereof,' and plungers 31 slidablewithin the opening 30 support a latch barf32 at their outer ends. The movement of the plungers 31 within their respective openings 30 is limited by a screw 33 which extends into'each opening 30 and supplies'astop. which is adapted for engagement with thefl'u-pper and lower shoulders formedat the ends of a recess 3 lprovided in the plungers. Springs 35 interposed between the end ofthe plungers 31 and the inner extremity of their respectiveopenings 30, together with a coil spring 36positioned intermediate the lower-portion of the gate 28, serve to yieldingly retain the latch bar 32 in its extended position, as disclosed in Figs. 2,3, and 5. Referring to Figs. 2and 4.- it will be observed'that a latch 37 suitably secured to the wall of the hopper 11 is adapted for engagement with one end of thelatch bar 32 (left Fig. 4) when the'gate 28 assumes a position perpendicular to the axial plane of the screw, mechanisms 12. By means of springs 38 (Fig. 1) coiled about stop pins 39 secured to brackets suitably mounted upon the lower portions of t'hehopper brackets 27, the latch bar 32 is yieldingly held in engagement with the latch 37 (Fig. 2). It

'will be apparent that when the latch bar 32' is moved upwardly beyond the upper portion of the latch37, the gate 28 will be swung upwardly by the action of the springs 38, this upward swinging movement being limited and arrested by the heads of the screw stops 39. To relatch or re-engage the bar 32 it is only necessary to swing the gate 28 downwardly against the action of the springs 38;

A stacker plate 41 (Fig. 5) is secured to the lower extremities of a pair of plungers 42 slidably mounted within .the lower ortion of the gate 28 and intermediate the en s thereof. These plungers 42 are similar to the latch bar plungers 34 andlare limited in movement by means of screws 43 and urged outwardly by means of springs 44 (Fig. This stacker plate 41 is disposed slightly below the plane of the upper surface of the screw mechanisms 12 and operates in connection with specially extremity thereof. As hereinbefore mentioned, a lamination 23 which becomes lodged within the grooves 24 of the screw mechanisms 12, is conveyed upwardly along an inclined plane and it will be observed that as a lamination approaches the stacker plate 41 the depth of the groove 24 is increased (Figs. 2 and 3) to permit thelamination .to pass v therebeneath. Beyond this point the groove 24 experiences an abrupt decrease in depth and in fact during a fraction of a turn of the screw, starting from the point where the'lamination enters beneath the stacker plate 41, the

depth of the groove'24 is decreased to such an extent that the lamination advanced during this portion of the turnis' carried upwardly into a plane coincident withthe uppermost surface of the screw mechanisms. As this" advanced lamination is carried upwardly against the stacker plate 41 it becomes lodged:

between a pair of depending guide-members 46 Figs. 4 and 5) formed near the ends and at the lower enlarged portion of the gate '28. Each subsequent revolution of the screw mechanisms 12 will result in advancing a lamination into position beneaththe lamination just previously stacked between the guide members 46. This stacking operation results in urging the stacker plate 41 upwardly against the action of the. springs 44 and by continued movement thereof the stacker plate will be carried into engagement with the latch bar 32 and when the number of s acked laminations attains a predetermined magnitude the latch bar '32 .becomes disengaged from the latch '37, and the gate 28"will swing forwardly and the composite group of lamina-tions stacked therein will thereby be conveyed forwardly along the surface of the' screw mechanisms 12. This swinging'of the formed screw threads or grooves at the upper gate 28 is sufficient to cause the composite group of stackedlaminations to be conveyed and deposited lay gravity into specially formed deep grooves 47 provided: at the-upper extremity of the screw mechanisms 12.. The continued rotation-of the screw mechanisms will advance-the deposited laminations into the lower end of a magazine 48, traversing the upper portion ofthe hopper 11 anddetachably mounted within suitable slots formed "in' the walls thereof. Leaf springs 49 suitably secured tothe walls of the hopper 11 are positioned so as to engage with the upper surface of each advancing stack of laininat ions as they approach the lower endof the magazine 48 to insure the delivery'ofthe stack to the magazine incompact form- Secured to the lower forward surface of the gate 28 are a pair of cam lugs 51 (Fig. 4).. These cam lugs 51'are designed to be en-- gaged by companion pins .52 secured near the upper extremity of each iscrew mechanism 12 and extending radially therefrom. It isto be understood that following the forward swing of the gate 28 t-hese pinss52 engage'with the respective surfa'ces oflthe'cam lugs 51..and

thereby cause the gate '28 to swing downwardserves to positively prevent a lamination which may be improperly positioned at this point, to be further advanced without being. properly rearranged in position. These pins will either completely dislodge the improperly positioned lamination or cause it to; be rearranged.- 5

In F'gs. "8 and 9a modified form ofthe invention is disclosed which employsa similar type of screw mechanism for advancing and stacking core laminations. A screw mechanism 53 is provided with a spiral groove 54 which is similar in design and functional characteristics to the groove- '24 described connection with: the? screw mechanism 12. The upper extremity of the screw mechanism 53 corresponds-to the structureof that portion of :the .screw mechanism 12- which serves to stack the advanced laminations against the stacker plate 41 and between the guide members 46. It will bewapparent that these guide members 46 have been supplanted in the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 8 .and 9 by a fixed chute 54 which is designed to detachably support a magazine :55. The screw-mechanisms- 53 are adapted to select and advance laminations from an indiscriminately arranged group thereof (not shown) in the manner heretofore described in connection with the screw mechanisms 12 and cause the advanced laminations to become stacked within the fixed chute 54 and eventually within the magazine 55 associated therewith. The front side of :the chute 54: is provided with a cover plate 56 which is detachably secured thereto bymeans of suitable spring clips 57 andthe 'magazine 55 is likewise secured in position by means .of, similar spring clips 58.; A weight 59 is employed to insure compact stacking of the laminations within the magam zine 55. v 1 I In the operation of the arranging apparatusthe core laminations of the type'disclosed in Fig. 7 are placed indiscriminately within the hopper 11 as shown in Figs. 1

and3 and. rotation is imparted to the screw mechanism; 12 by application of power to the pulley 17 from anyisuitable source. By I the engagement. of ,thecam teeth 19 of the disk-1 8 with the roller '20 a jogging or vibra- 20 tory movement'i's imparted to the agitating plate 22. -This agitates the laminations 23 within the hopper .11 and as a result the lowermost laminations become self-lodged within-the :grooves 24 .of the screw mechanism 12,v .In this: connection attention is invited to the. fact that the surface of the screw'mechanisms adjacent to the leading portion of the grooveshas been chamfered, this being :done to facilitate'the self-lodging of the laminations within the grooves. lamination improperly traverses the screw mechanism upon being. advanced from the supply within the hopper, as shown in Fig. 3, continued rotation of the screws will cause it to' fall back into proper arrangement, lodged within a pair of aligned ways or grooves 24. As the laminations 23 are advancedxupwardly along the inclined plane of the mechanisms 12 they are directed bethereof these gauge pins 25-and 26 will either completely dislodge the lamination and cause it to fall back into'the bottom of the hopper orthey will effect the immediate proper arwhich are permitted to pass between these gauge pins are advanced into position beneath the stacker plate 41 and by continued rotation of the screw mechanisms a composite group of laminations are stacked up-. wardly against the stacker plate and become lodged between the depending guide mem bers 46 formed at the lower end of the gate 28. hen astack'of laminations of predetermined magnitude become lodged within the'gate 28 the disengagement of the bar and latch members 32 and '37 respectively, serve to permit the gate to swing forwardly and the laminations thus stacked to be conveyed If a tween the pair of-gaugepins 25 and 26 which ranging orpositioning thereof within a pair of aligned grooves 24; The laminationsv and deposited in the deep groove 47 provided at the upper extremity of the screw mechanisms 12. Continued rotation of the screw mechanisms causes the stack of laminations deposited within the groove 47 to be advanced and inserted within the magazine 48 and the advancing of the composite groups of laminations are continued step by step until the magazine 48 is completely filled, at which time it may be replaced by an empty magazine.

The operation of the modified form of arranging apparatus shown in Figs. Sand 9 is thesame in principle the operation just described, the only difference being that the mechanism 53 disclosed in these figures serves to continuously stack the laminations within the magazine 58 as distinguished from the. arranging apparatus first described wherein .composite groups of laminations of predetermined 'magnitude are stacked and subsequently delivered to a magazine.

Although the invention as herein illus trated and described is particularly well adapted for use in connection with apparatus for arranging and assembling core-members. and the like, it should be understood that the novel features thereof are capable of other applications and should be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

7 What is claimed is:

V 1. Inan apparatus for arranging articles, a receiving means, ascrew mechanism associated therewith designed to receive and advance articles and to deliver the advanced articles in proper predetermined position to the receiving means, and means carried by the screw mechanism adapted to prevent im properly positioned articles from being advanced to the receiving means.

2. In anapparatus for arranging articles,

a screw mechanism having a portion to receive and advance articles and a portion to arrange and deliver the advanced articles in group formation. V o

. 3. 111 an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism having a portion to receive and advance articles and a portion to subsequently stack the. advanced articles. 7

4. In an-apparatus for arrangingarticles, a screw mechanism havinga portion to individually select and advance articles from a V 7 In an apparatus for arranging articles, a mechanism provided with a spiral way having a portion thereof adapted to receive and advance members and a portion thereof to form the advanced members into a composite group, and means for actuating the mechanism.

8. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a hopper, a mechanism associated therewith provided with a spiral way having a portion thereof adapted to select and advance articles within the hopper and a portion thereof to subsequently stack the advanced articles, and means for actuating the mechanism.

9. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a receiver, a hopper, a screw mechanism associated with the hopper and designed to selectand advance articles from within the hopper and to form the advanced articles into a composite group and deliver said group to the receiver, means for predetermining the magnitude of the formed composite group, and means for. actuating the mechamsm.

10. In an apparatus for arranging core members and the like, a magazine, a hopper, a mechanism within the hopper formed with a spiral way adapted to select and advance core members from within the hopper and to arrange the advanced core members 1nto a composite group and to advance the composite group within the magazine, means for rejecting imperfect core members selected by the mechanism, and means for actuating the mechanism.

11. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a magazine, a pair of screw members assoclated therewith having angularly related axes and adaptedto receive and advance articles and to feed the advanced articles in composite order to the magazine, and means for actuating the screw members.

12. In an apparatus for arranging artlcles, a screw mechanism, means for associating articles with the screw mechanism in an indiscriminate arrangement, said screw mechanism having means for changing the indiscriminate arrangementto a predeter: mined arrangement, and means for subsequently rearranging the articles.

13. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism, and means for associating articles with the screw mechanism in an indiscriminate arrangement, said screw mechanism having means for changing the indiscriminate arrangement to a parallel arrangement, and means for changing the parallel arrangement to a composite arrangement.

14. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a receiving means, and a screw mechanism associated therewith having a portion for properly arranging and advancing articles and a portion for rearranging the advanced articles into proper predetermined position for delivery to the receiving means.

15. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a receiving means, and a screw mechanism associated therewith having a portion for properly arranging and advancing articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and a portion for rearranging the advanced articles into group formation for delivery to the receiving means.

16. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism having a portion for receiving and advancing articles and a portion for stacking the advanced articles, and means for preventing imperfect articles from being stacked by the screw mechanism.

17. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a receiving means, a pair of oppositely rotatable screw members having cooperating portions for arranging and advancing articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and cooperating portions for rearranging the advanced articles and delivering them to the receiving means, and means for actuating the screw mechanism.

18. In an apparatus for arranging articles,

a rotatable member having a spiral way comprising a portion for properly arranging and advancing articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and a portion for rearranging the advanced articles in composite order. p

19. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a rotatable member having a spiral way comprising a portion for properly arranging, and advancing articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and a portion for rearranging the advanced articles into a group of predetermined magnitude.

20. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a pair of oppositely rotatable members having cooperating spiral ways for properly arranging and advancing articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof, said spiral ways having cooperating portions for rearranging the advanced articles into a group of predetermined magnitude.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of February A. D., 1926.

HARRY CARPENTER STEARNS. 

